Rutgers University. Governors. Educational Planning and Policy Committee

The Educational Planning and Policy Committee was established as a standing (as opposed to special) committee in 1950 as the Rutgers Board of Trustees Committee on Planning and Policy. During the late 1940s and 1950s there was also a seemingly unrelated University Committee on Educational Policies, which consisted of Deans and Professors. (1) The Trustees Committee was inaugurated with the following charge: The Committee on Planning and Policy shall conduct a continuing study of the University in terms of its organizational and educational effectiveness in order to develop sound long-term plans to promote its effectiveness in the service of state and nation, to anticipate contingencies which might hamper such service, and to make appropriate recommendations to the Trustees.(2)

By the end of 1956, the Board of Trustees had reorganized into the Board of Governors and the committee's name changed to the Committee on Planning, Policy, and Development. The materials of the committee at that time indicated that it concerned itself with the physical development of the university. In mid-1960 the committee name changed once more to the Educational Planning and Policy Committee (also seen as Committee on Educational Policy and Planning) and retained this name through the early 2000s.

The bylaws of the Board of Governors as amended July 14, 2006 state that the committee's role is to "conduct a continuing study of the University's organizational and educational effectiveness..." and that it has "general oversight of the educational program of the University. It shall consider tenure appointments and promotions of academic personnel...shall anticipate contingencies which might hamper performance of the University's missions...shall advise the board on the need for public and private funds." (3)

Although the committee was chaired by a member of the Board of Governors, the files in this collection were maintained by the Secretary of the University, who seems to have been charged with the dissemination of materials to the committee. At its origination, the Secretary was Albert E. Meder (who held the position from 1944 to 1950), who was followed by Karl Metzger (1950-1974), and Jean Sidar (1975-1989). Each had their own methods of organization which are reflected in these papers.

Although the Educational Planning and Policy Committee has continued to meet since 1986, the records of their meetings are not included in this collection. It is possible that this reflects a change in the committee's record keeping practices. Following Sidar, the Secretaries of the University were Norman H. McNatt, Mildred R. Schildkamp, and Leslie A. Fehernbach.

(1) For information on the Committee on Educational Policies (and the Committee on Educational Policies for the New Jersey College for Women) see RG 04/A14. Papers of the Office of the President (Robert C. Clothier), Box 78 Folders 26-28; RG 04/A16/02 Papers of the Office of the President (Mason W. Gross) Box 38, Folders 9-10.

(2) Rutgers University Board of Trustee Minutes, October 13, 1950

(3) Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Bylaws of the Board of Governors of the Corporation (Amended July 14, 2006), p. 6

From the guide to the Inventory to the Rutgers University Board of Governors Educational Planning and Policy Committee, 1951-1986, (Rutgers University Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives)